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Tax experts say that even if the return is correctly filed, refunds may take longer when the volume of filings is unusually high.
Many taxpayers who have already filed their income tax returns (ITR) for the assessment year 2024-25 are yet to receive their refunds.
The ITR filing 2025 deadline of September 15 is just around the corner. So far, around 5.5 crore income tax returns have been filed. as per the latest data on the e-filing portal. Many taxpayers who have already filed their income tax returns (ITR) for the assessment year 2024-25 are yet to receive their refunds. If you are among them, here’s why the wait you might be facing refund delay and what you can do.
Why Refunds Are Delayed
The income tax department has been processing returns on a large scale. While a majority of refunds are credited within a few weeks of filing, some cases undergo additional scrutiny. Common reasons include:
- Mismatch in tax credit details (Form 26AS vs. ITR)
- Pending e-verification or bank account validation
- Minor data discrepancies in reported income or TDS
- Cases selected for risk-based checks before release of refund
Tax experts say that even if the return is correctly filed, refunds may take longer when the volume of filings is unusually high.
What You Can Do
If your refund is still pending, here are a few checks to make:
- Ensure your ITR has been e-verified. Without this, processing does not begin.
- Check if your ITR has been processed. Refunds are initiated after the processing.
- Confirm that your bank account is pre-validated and linked to PAN.
- Track the status on the income tax portal under ‘Refund/Demand Status’.
- In case of any mismatch notice from the department, respond promptly to avoid further delays.
Refund delays may feel frustrating, but they are usually procedural and get resolved over time.
Who Needs to File by September 15?
Usually, the ITR filing deadline every year is July 31. However, as the income tax department released the ITR forms late due to various changes in the forms, the government extended the deadline till September 15. Now, the deadline is September 15, 2025, for non-audit taxpayers, including most salaried individuals, pensioners, NRIs, and those whose accounts do not require audit.
Businesses and professionals required to undergo tax audit must submit their audit reports by September 30, 2025, and file their ITR by October 31, 2025.
For taxpayers who need to provide a transfer pricing report (due to international or specified domestic transactions), the deadline to file the ITR is November 30, 2025.
Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to personal finance, markets, economy and companies. Having over a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris h…Read More
Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to personal finance, markets, economy and companies. Having over a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris h… Read More
September 12, 2025, 12:55 IST
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